About this Blog, the answers to all (or none) of your questions

Disclaimer before you go vilifying me: the name of this blog is somewhat facetious. I wanted to name it “Boring Stuff That No One Really Cares About,” but apparently that was already taken. So I went with Outside the Comfort Zone. However, let me be clear: my entire life is firmly inside the comfort zone. I live so deeply within the comfort zone that I don’t think I could find my way out even if I had a map. If you are looking for a blog about someone who has really stepped out, like someone who moved to war-torn Afghanistan to work as a missionary, you have come to the wrong place. If, however, your idea of stepping out of the comfort zone is going to a different Starbucks, you’re my kind of guy/gal/canine/whatever. For me, Life Outside the Comfort Zone is doing things like an overnight relay race across the state of Florida. Or spending a week in France by myself, in spite of the fact that I don’t speak French. These are things that sound fun in theory (or sound fun when I am under the influence), so I sign up for them, and then I immediately regret having done so. So far, this compulsion has led me to do a Half-Ironman-distance triathlon, four marathons, twenty-plus half-marathons, and not one but two overnight relay races. And without exception, I always have a moment after signing up for these events where I say to myself, “What the hell have I gotten myself into now?” Fortunately, they usually turn out to be enjoyable in the end. But not always. In any case, you can read about them here. And maybe, just maybe, I can inspire you try that new Starbucks. You can do it. Go ahead.